#rustys roundup

[hinaypod]

A Hi Nay Podcast Year - 2023

At the beginning of 2023, I got a planner that said it'll be a "Great" Year. I had to cover it up - because the last time I had a planner claiming the year would be great... it was 2020. So I covered it with one of our stickers, making it read "It'll Be A Hi Nay Podcast Year". And it was!

Here were some Highlights for what was an absolutely jam-packed HI NAY YEAR!

The Hi Nay Fundraiser

Though we didn't get to our full goal, we did get to our initial goal to keep the show going! We also got absolutely unbelievable support that we still don't know if we deserve, but we're grateful for nonetheless. Because of this fundraiser, we were able to provide honoraria to our performers and editors, as well as get to work on Act 3 of Hi Nay, which has grown much bigger than anticipated. Special thanks to Jesse Goodsell and Malaya, our top donors!

We also wanna thank our amazing P atreon supporters, who ensure we keep this show going until its planned ending!

Interviews

We were able to chat with so many amazing people this year! Here's some of the shows that had Motzie on to chat about Hi Nay, horror, Filipino stories, and podcasting.

Radio Drama Revival

IndieAF Special: International Women’s Day

Ep. 387 - Motzie Dapul — Spooked!

The Skull Sessions - Hi Nay (Hello From The Hallowoods)

Conventions!

Because of the wonderful people over at the Canadian Podcast Awards, we were able to briefly table at TORONTO COMICON and FAN EXPO, and were able to have our very first live show at Fan Expo, all without paying a dime! Huge shoutout to the Canadian Podcast Awards for giving us indies the opportunity to do something so amazing!

The Podcast Awards!

We got nominated in two categories: Fiction and Best Asian Hosted, and it was amazing! Fiction was tough since there were so many amazing titles, but in Best Asian Hosted we were just happy to lose to one of our favourite people in the audio/video medium - Sapphire Sandalo.

How is this list not done yet OH RIGHT

The Rusty Quill Network!

It was truly life-changing to join RQ, given that the Magnus Archives is the reason Hi Nay exists, though we like to think our story has formed its own unique identity beyond our inspiration. Still, we're genuinely grateful and excited to do more with RQ and the other absolutely amazing shows in the network in 2024! Even before this, Motzie got to interview the Rusty Quill folks for Storytelling Podcast Week and befriended the wonderful Helen Gould. And most recently, the fantastic Alasdair Stuart agreed to voice one of our most beloved new characters - Detective Dooley - for our Pride Episode. Alasdair is a gem, and we're happy and grateful to have him on.

There's so much more to cover and we can't put it all in one post, but we'd like to reiterate:

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE SUPPORT! We truly want Hi Nay to grow as a podcast without losing what makes it special, and it's all thanks to you listeners that we're able to do that.

-

Before we go, we'd like to mention the following:

CareForGaza is a non-profit charity in aid of helping the needy families of Palestine. If you're able to help them and their cause, it would make a huge difference! Gaza eSims is a campaign to help people in Gaza to get connected to family as well as facilitate important communication for medical aid, etc. Since Tumblr hides posts with l inks, you can google them and find more information.

And as always - thank you, we love you, and Manigong Bagong Taon. Happy 2024 everyone.

[bryansrustache]

seeing so many of my fav pens using pride tape and speaking up tonight made me so happy :’). w the ban this year and most teams only having 2 or 3 players use it i just wasn’t expecting to see that many guys with it tonight but i am so glad i was wrong!!!!!

[folkbreeze]

Rusty Trails: inn for travelers, skilled competitors and aspiring equestrians

Sienna Grove, Chestnut Ridge Ultimate Horse Championship winner, is now the proud owner of the Rusty Trails: an inn she paid with the money Flapjack helped her to earn. It will be soon welcoming travelers of all kinds, will that be good for our small town? The Rodeo Roundup, Chestnut Ridge

just some bonus pics bc i'm obsessed

[op3ra]

rusty roundup (pls pls pls click for quality)

design credits, left to right:

@honey-dont / @commander-spaceboy /@tabooiart / me! / @animatronathon / @nauticaltrainofthe80s / @green-planets

two more rusties + a starlight rusty under the cut! check them out!

design credits, left to right:

@captainmvf / @savs-avvy / me!

[semisolidmind]

If you were to make your own yandere vn, what kind of character would you make? Eldritch and Weird (like the Look At Me bunny whose name escapes me rn) or seemingly normal but actually scary (like Benny or Rusty)?

(his name is Buddy Boy. and he needs a lore reboot)

yeah, probably. there's been a ton of "vaguely weird guy, perhaps vaguely supernatural in some way" yandere vns lately. and thats nice, but i want some that go further. full on monster, y'know?

idk how i'd turn benny's story into a vn. i think I'd want his to operate like an animal crossing clone. and since Rusty's Roundup is based on fnaf sb, I think id want it to play out in a similar way graphics-wise. im just a bit tired of the visual novel format.

[kafus]

a quick roundup of some other stuff i've done in platinum because i stopped liveposting and was focused on playing lol

i defeated the grunts in the eterna city team galactic building and it wasn't difficult or anything but it was interesting to confront this part of the game again since it's been a while and i'm rusty

the galactic grunts obviously don't understand the extent of cyrus' plans to literally destroy and remake the universe, just that by doing all this evil shit they're supposedly going to find a new energy source with the power of pokemon evolution etc and make a better world that way. it's similar ish vibes to team plasma - a lot of them although misguided and stealing pokemon and generally being shitty seem to think that their boss genuinely has a bright vision for the future that they're helping serve... their headquarters literally has a poster on the wall telling them not to question what's happening and to just follow the path laid out for them. it kind of reads similar to real life cults instilling a fear of apocalypse in their followers - not quite that drastic since its pokemon, but who wants to be left out of a new, better world?

anyways team galactic analysis aside, jupiter was easy to defeat because pepper is cracked

it's interesting to me how much clefairy is idolized because it supposedly came from the moon in so many pokemon games? i didn't take pictures but the cycle shop guy here mentions that jupiter wanted the clefairy because the moon or space or whatever, and while that makes even more sense in this game because team galactic... space... matching themes... man clefairy is just everywhere lol there's been romanticism of space in pokemon since the very beginning in kanto (and that's not even mentioning you know, pokemon like deoxys and jirachi and whatever)

after this i backtracked and took care of a few things (like the old chateau which i just posted about)

i got the togepi egg from cynthia and hatched it. i love how in platinum cynthia just kind of appears throughout the story as this mysterious kind woman. i know she's remembered for her tough as nails champion fight and that sure as hell makes her memorable but i think it helps that she's around before that as well

i backtracked and got the captivate TM from this... random creepy woman in the woods?? what the fuck were they thinking putting this here. i forgot this was a thing until i was backtracking to check for cut trees now that i have access to cut post-fighting gardenia. Whyy JDFSKSFD

lastly i checked my honey trees since i've been playing for so long i had a few ready... i decided not to reset for female combee since i'm going to be playing this game a while, might as well try to let it naturally spawn before i SR for it. i also got a wurmple from another tree but i forgot to take a picture lol

anyways i'm probs gonna clear out the trainers on cycling road and catch some guys on the route below and then stop for tonight bc i have a doctor's appointment tomorrow

[burnsoregonphotoblog]

Rusty's Roundup - Burns Pizza Parlor in the late 70's. This location was destroyed in an arson fire. It's location was close to where the Figaro Pizza Pub is located in 2024.

[wanderlust-in-my-soul]

Currently Watching - September

aka The Masterlist

Because I love a good little list - in alphabetical order! 😊

PSA: I am on a little hiatus until the end of september! My social anxienty is through the roof and I need some time to detox and just relax, read, watch series and go for walks during my holiday. (I prepared some sets for the weekends and I might write about the stuff I watched, but I don't know yet. I just go with my flow!)

Regularly updated during the month, latest update 30.09.2023

Here you can find my weekly roundup that goes into a bit more detail about each episode. (On hiatus right now)

And a little link to my favorite bl-tropes-collection 💙

Usually, I am happy about gif-requests. I will be on hiatus during the month of September. But if you want a special scene, just let me know and I will get to it in October.

Here you can find all of my gifs.

And if you want to show me something you think I might like, just let me know with #josistag

At the end you can have a look at what we can expect in September with MDL link and a link for a trailer (if avaible).

This is guaranteed to contain spoilers!

1. Dangerous Romance (Ep 7/12 on Youtube)

The lovestory between a bully with daddy-issues and a boy who has nothing to lose and who is quite a badass.

2. I feel you linger in the air (7/12 on Gaga)

The lovestory that overcomes the time barrier between a rich man with the biggest heart-eyes and a time-traveller whose love life could have been better.

3. Kiseki: Dear to me (8/13 on Viki)

The lovestories between a member of a mafia and a college boy and between two gangsters who have far too little screen time!

4. Only Friends (7/10 on Youtube)

The stories about different red flags in different pairings who are all very messy and connected with each other to live their redness.

5. Taikan Yoho / My Personal Weatherman (6/8 on Viki and Gaga)

The lovestory between an emotionally complicated weatherman and his devoted, but also emotionally complicated partner.

6. Wedding Plan (7/8 on iQiyi)

The lovestory between a groom and his wedding planner. And yes, I am waiting for the special episode to mark it finished!

7. You are mine (3/10 on Viki)

The lovestory between a very demanding chef, who terrorise his employees and his easygoing new male secretary who can give good massages.

Finished in September

Series

1. Stay Still (5/5 on Youtube)

The lovestories between people... Sorry, but this was messy and I had a hard time staying interested. In the end I didn't really care about the characters or the story. Nothing I would go back to. A 5,5 out of 10 for me.

2. Kind the Land (16/16 Netflix - no bl)

I needed something for the heart on my first vacation weekend and so I pulled this one back from On-Hold and it was the right decision. It is just pure fluff for the heart! So much romance and love and happiness! My cold, rusty heart really got warm watching this. So it is a 9 out of 10 for me.

3. Jun & Jun (8/8 on Viki)

The lovestory between a bossy boss with dreamy eyes and a former idol, who everybody has a crush on and who now wants to become an office employee and they were childhood friends! It was a short, but fun watch! I really enjoyed it. A 8 out of 10 for me.

4. Love Class Season 2 (10/10 on Viki)

The lovestories between a former tutor with a sad and traumatizing past and his student who now is his class mate and between two childhood friends - one of them a stupid stalker and the other one without communication skills and between a teaching assistant at the university and his one-night-stand who want more but plays hard to get... And it is brilliant! I LOVE IT so much! The acting is so good, the stories are so cute I can't decide which couple is my favorite, because they all were so freaking CUTE!!!! I am so in love with this little show! So good! Highly recommended! 10 out of 10 for me.

5. Papa, what is love? (6/6 on Gaga)

The love story between Greg, who I don't know what this whole story with his ex is about, and Tupa, who, for reasons I don't understand has to ask Greg for permission to go to work? Not to forget Greg's father, who is also Tupa's Ex, and who is looking for true love via an app a la Gridr. Pinoy series really hit differently. There is a lot of sex and a lot of plotless fillings... Why did I watch this? I really don't know. At least in the end everyone has their happy ending. Even Rich gor married, after he knew his new hubby for a whole week! 4,5 out of 10... I will forget everything about this.

6. Why R U (8/8 on Viki)

The lovestories between one enemy and a fake enemy who has a crush on the enemy for quite a while and between a fake casanova and a shy guy who isn't really shy. I had fun with this one. It was short and entertaining. The cuts and time jumps were a little annoying, but they didn't have enough time to tell the story properly, I guess. So it is fine for me. I give it a 7 out of 10.

7. Minato Shouji Coin Laundry Season 2 (12/12 on Gaga)

The lovestory between a young man who adores the emotional complicated character of his partner with issues. This whole mess made me so angry at times. The amnesia plot was stupid, unnecessary and unwanted. It took away every natural progress of their characters and produced some stupid, unbelievable shit drama. I really wanted to like it, but in the end I couldn't. It had some nice moments, but these don't make up for all the rest. For me only a 4 out of 10...

8. Hidden Agenda (12/12 on Youtube)

The love story between a control freak who only wants the best for his partner and the boy with endless patience for him to understand boundaries. Yeah... that was bad. It was boring and the acting of some of the actors was just not that good and the story was... meh. 5 out of 10 for me.

Movie

Short Film

1. Kiss Kiss (on Gaga)

It looked as this one is a reference to the first encounter with Aids and the handling of it. It is an oppressive watch. It has its flaws and the a-true-love's-kiss will heal you was nothing I like, but the message was there. But overall just a 6,5 out of 10 for me.

2. Black Sesam Soup with Tofu Pudding (on Gaga)

The lovestory between two young man in a world of homophobia and prejudices. Without a doubt one of the best queer short films I have watched in my life. Even the memoryloss was an important part of this film. It was so wholesome and devastating. I am still in tears... 10 out of 10 for me.

Rewatched in September

Dropped/On-Hold in September

1. Venus in the sky (3/10 on iQiyi)

I gave it a fair chance! But the story is just boring, the acting isn't that good and well I couldn't care less about the characters and their story. I can spend my time with better things like that...

Looking forward to in September

Naughty Babe - Trailer (Sep 2nd on iQiyi)

Venus in the sky - Trailer (Sep 2nd on iQiyi)

Our Story - Trailer (Sep 9th on Youtube)

Bump Up Business (Sep 15th)

You are mine - Trailer without subs (Sep 15th on Viki)

Kimi ni wa Todokanai (I can't reach you) (Sep 27th)

Absolute Zero - Teaser (Sep 27 on iQiyi)

Bon Appetit - Teaser (Sep 27 on iQiyi)

[merinsedai]

Happy November!

Actually, I don’t really like November, usually. So many dark and gloomy days where I live; and so long until the weather will improve!

October roundup:

An up and down month. Started off with covid, so felt dreadful and just lived in my bedroom for the best part of a week whilst husbae did the full time job and all the parenting/meals etc etc. what a star he is.

Missed the wedding I was meant to attend as though I’d recovered enough to go, Mr 4 was ill and so I had to stay and look after him. Too late to cancel my hotel booking as well. Right bugger. In 2023, I have had three arrangements to meet actual friends in the flesh and I’ve managed 1 of those. The universe is set on me not having even a modicum of a social life.

I had to cancel my work that I’d booked, then there was no more work until the 30th. Some of that was half term, the rest… well there probably would have been work to pick up if I’d asked but I didn’t so… not a great month in the earnings department. Currently three days into a three week booking and that’s going ok.

Managed the birthday and the party without incident. Thank God for soft play and paying other people to basically do the whole thing for you. Don’t think I could’ve coped with running an old fashioned party at my house. All those 4/5 year olds… no thanks.

Made it to the caravan in Wales for the half term holiday. Mostly fine, as fine as holidays with small Chn can get. Miss 7 developed an appalling cold which she has subsequently passed to me. It is currently sitting in my chest and making me sound like a 40 a day smoker. Nice.

All that nice self care stuff I set up in September (the make up and body care stuff) was derailed when covid hit and hasn’t really picked up again. Turns out losing habits is far easier than maintaining. A bit of mascara here and there to stop me looking truly horrendous but not much else. Must get back to it. Still closing my rings, probably should up the goal to make it more challenging.

Actually managed to complete my October challenge- the sandtober daily drawing prompts. It was good. I did almost all of them the night they were ‘due’ c10pm, since inspiration never struck until then. It seems I still require the impetus of a deadline to actually get my arse in gear and do something. Did I improve over the month? Mm perhaps. I was exceptionally rusty, the only things I’d drawn in the past decade or so were shit renditions of Peppa Pig or the Octonauts for the toddlers. Toddlers are easily pleased, luckily. Also learned (no… confirmed. I already knew it) that I lack any creativity, because if there isn’t something to copy then I can’t do it. If there *is* something to copy, I can produce vague facsimiles (as long as no one is looking for shading or whatever) with varying degrees of success.

For November’s “thing”, I’ve signed to to a writing challenge. I don’t know why really, see above about the lack of creativity I possess. I just… came out a heart scan at the hospital and thought ‘fuck it’ and signed up. I’m even less practised in writing than I am in drawing (though I read voraciously and everyone knows that’s ‘so helpful for building vocabulary etc’ 😅) but… we shall see how it progresses.

OH and storm Babet blew down a massive bough from one of the old ash trees in my garden. It’s currently sitting and destroying the lawn, just waiting for the tree surgeons to come and take care of it and check that the rest of the tree is still ok.

This is a fooking big branch. We have a decent sized garden and it’s taking up most of it. The satellite branches we’ve removed already are six ft long. And they’re like twigs compared to the main thing.

[brookstonalmanac]

Holidays 7.9

Holidays

Arbor Day (Cambodia)

ASB Community Action Day

Call of the Horizon Day

Chicken Days begin (Nebraska)

Constitution Day (Australia, Palau)

Constitutionalist Revolution Day (São Paulo, Brazil)

Day of the Employees of the Diplomatic Service (Azerbaijan)

Dinosaur Roundup Rodeo (Utah)

Donkey Kong Day

Family Day (Ukraine)

Fashion Day

Festival of Grand Unified Theories

Flag Day (Chile)

Goat Mother’s Day

Intern Appreciation Day

International Small Arms Destruction Day

Kirkpinar Oil Wrestling Festival begins (Turkey)

Mars

Mint Day (French Republic)

Muffler Appreciation Day

National Camel Toad Hunting Day (Secular Church of the SubGenius)

National Culture Day (Kiribati)

National Dimples Day

National Lavender Day

National No Bra Day

National Student’s Day (India)

Nunavut Day (Canada)

Paper Napkin Day

Rock Around the Clock Day

Shiman Rokusen-nichi (Day of 46,000; Tokyo, Japan)

Special Recreation Day

State Rebellion Day (São Paulo, Brazil)

Traumatic Brain Injury Awareness Day (Ohio)

White Ensign Anniversary Day (UK)

Wimbledon Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

Don’t Put All Your Eggs in One Omelette Day

National Chicken Day

National Sugar Cookie Day

World Pakora Day

2nd Sunday in July

Barn Day [2nd Sunday]

Disability Awareness Day (UK) [2nd Sunday]

Father’s Day (Uruguay) [2nd Sunday]

Festival of the Giants begins (Fête des Géants; France) [Sunday after 7.5]

Lá Cuimhneacháin Náisiúnta (National Day of Commemoration; Ireland) [Sunday closet to 7.11]

Independence Days

Argentina (from Spain, 1816)

Kebec (f.k.a. Alaurentia; Declared; 2017) [unrecognized]

Luxe (Declared; 2009) [unrecognized]

South Sudan (from Sudan, 2011)

Feast Days

Agilulfus of Cologne (Christian; Saint)

Amandina of Schakkebroek (Christian; A Martyr of Southern Hunan)

Caprotinia (Old Roman Female Slave Festival)

Charlotte the Penguin (Muppetism)

St. Clotilde (Positivist; Saint)

Cyril and Companions (Christian; Martyrs)

David Hockney (Artology)

Day of Unn the Wise Person (a.k.a. Day of Remembrance for Ann the Deep Minded; Pagan)

Dharma Day (Buddhist) [Full Moon, 8th Lunar Month]

Ekādaśī Tithi (Self-Purification Festival; Hindism, Vaishnavism) [11th Lunar Day]

Ephrem of Edessa (Christian; Saint)

Everilda (Christian; Saint)

Feast of the Chinese Martyrs (Christian; Martyrs)

Feast of the Martyrs of Gorkum (Christian; Martyrs)

Feast of Our Lady of Peace (Christian)

Feast of Translation of Nicolas (Christian; Confessor)

Gregorio Grassi (Christian; A Martyr of Shanxi)

Invent a Word Day (Pastafarian)

Marija Petković (Christian; Blessed)

Martyrdom of the Báb (Bahá'í)

Martyrs of Gorkum (Christian; Martyrs)

Mary Hermina Grivot (Christian; Saint)

Mojo Nixon Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Our Lady of Itatí (Christian)

Our Lady of Peace, Octave of the Visitation (Christian)

Our Lady of the Rosary of Chiquinquirá (Christian; Saint)

Pauline of the Agonizing Heart of Jesus (Christian; Saint)

Rusty (Muppetism)

Sabinus (Christian; Martyr)

Solstitium VI (Pagan)

Stephen Langton, Archbishop of Canterbury (Anglican commemoration)

Veronica Giuliani (Christian; Saint)

Zeno (Christian; Martyr)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Fortunate Day (Pagan) [26 of 53]

Tomobiki (友引 Japan) [Good luck all day, except at noon.]

Premieres

American Pie (Film; 1999)

Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (Film; 2004)

The Bears and Bees (Disney Cartoon; 1932)

Black Widow (Film: 2021)

Blowin’ in the Wind, recorded by Bob Dylan (Song; 1962)

Blue, by LeAnn Rimes (Album; 1996)

Despicable Me (Animated Film; 2010)

The Girl Who Played with Fire (Film; 2010)

The Golden Compass (a.k.a. Northern Lights), by Philip Pullman (Nove; 1995) [His Dark Materials #1]

Love and Curses (WB MM Cartoon; 1938)

Loving You (Elvis Presley Film; 1957)

The Office (UK TV Series; 2001)

One of Our Dinosaurs is Missing (Film; 1975)

Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl (Film; 2003)

Pluto’s Purchase (Disney Cartoon; 1948)

Predators (Film; 2010)

The Queen Was in the Parlor (WB MM Cartoon; 1932)

Riding Giants (Documentary Film; 2004)

Rookie of the Year (Film; 1993)

Tall Timber (Disney Cartoon; 1928)

This Is a Life? (WB MM Cartoon; 1955)

Tron (Film; 1982)

Winnebago Man (Documentary Film; 2010)

Today’s Name Days

Augustin, Gottfried, Veronika (Austria)

Leticija, Marija, Veronika (Croatia)

Drahoslava (Czech Republic)

Sostrata (Denmark)

Aive, Aivi (Estonia)

Ilta, Jade, Jasmiina, Jasmin, Nanna (Finland)

Amandine, Hermine, Iphigénie, Marianne (France)

Hannes, Hermine, Veronika (Germany)

Pagratios (Greece)

Lukrécia (Hungary)

Letizia (Italy)

Asne, Tusnelda, Zaiga (Latvia)

Algirdas, Algirdė, Leonardas, Veronika (Lithuania)

Gøran, Jøran, Ørjan (Norway)

Anatolia, Heloiza, Hieronim, Lucja, Łucja, Ludwika, Lukrecja, Mikołaj, Patrycjusz, Weronika, Wszebąd, Zenon, Zenona (Poland)

Lujza (Slovakia)

Verónica (Spain)

Götilda , Jörgen, Örjan (Sweden)

Averil, Avery, Junior, Misty (USA)

Amandine (Universal)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 190 of 2024; 175 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 7 of week 27 of 2023

Celtic Tree Calendar: Duir (Oak) [Day 28 of 28]

Chinese: Month 5 (Wu-Wu), Day 22 (Wu-Chen)

Chinese Year of the: Rabbit 4721 (until February 10, 2024)

Hebrew: 20 Tammuz 5783

Islamic: 20 Dhu al-Hijjah 1444

J Cal: 10 Lux; Threesday [10 of 30]

Julian: 26 June 2023

Moon: 55%: Waning Gibbous

Positivist: 22 Charlemagne (7th Month) [St. Clotilde]

Runic Half Month: Feoh (Wealth) [Day 11 of 15]

Season: Summer (Day 19 of 94)

Zodiac: Cancer (Day 19 of 31)

[thinkythirdthursday]

Thinky Third Thursday - October 2023

Welcome to the first ever Thinky Third Thursday, curated by Alan Hazelden of Draknek & Friends - a monthly roundup of thinky puzzle games that have caught my eye.

I really love thinky games. Obviously I’ve been designing them for over a decade now, but more than that it’s the only genre where you'll find deep systems, surprising interactions, and that eureka moment where you're in the shower and realise the solution to the puzzle you've been stuck on.

It’s such a great time for the space right now - there’s so many games coming out it feels hard to keep up! I hope my recommendations will be useful to you, whether you’re someone who tries to play everything thinky or you just dabble occasionally.

I’m not being paid by any of these developers to promote their games, I just want to advocate for talented people making great work. All games were purchased by myself.

Here’s what I’ve been playing:

Headlong Hunt, by Toombler Chase easily-spooked creatures to herd them into the perfect location. This may initially look simple, but it features some really great puzzle design while remaining very approachable!

COCOON, by Geometric Interactive and Annapurna Interactive The vibes on this game are off the charts. The puzzles seem very streamlined for a mainstream audience, but that doesn’t stop every moment being intensely satisfying.

Magicube, by nebu soku The puzzle design in this game is really fantastic! It might take a little perseverance to get into - it's a hard game - but if you stick with it, it will be incredibly rewarding.

Golden Idol Mysteries: The Lemurian Vampire, by Color Gray Games and Playstack The second and final DLC for The Case of the Golden Idol. I don’t think it lived up to the main game + first DLC, and found the cases pretty frustrating, but the new gameplay variation is a nice twist on the formula.

Chants of Sennaar, by Rundisc and Focus Entertainment An intriguing language-learning game. I don’t love the unnecessary / uninteresting stealth sections or that I had to do a Rush Hour puzzle in the first hour, but overall I think it’s worth checking out. I’ve seen several people recommend playing without using the journal that confirms your word guesses - if you want to lean into the concept and increase the thinkiness, that seems like a good choice.

More recent thinky releases:

Underground Blossom, by Rusty Lake

Escape From Mystwood Mansion, by Lost Sock Studio

Bilkins' Folly, by Webbysoft and Armor Games Studios

A Tiny Sticker Tale, by Ogre Pixel

Submachine: Legacy, by Mateusz Skutnik

Mosa Lina, by Stuffed Wombat

Sandy's Great Escape, by Mocha Moose Games

Upcoming games to watch for:

Crossroad OS, by Daisy Games (Demo available now) Martin of Daisy Games has been making quietly competent puzzle games at a pretty impressive pace, but this one is a real step up. The demo that just came out has some solid puzzles and great vibes - I highly recommend giving it a go, especially since it’s pretty short.

Plungeroo, by Little Crown Games (Demo available now) This is a delightful pinball-themed puzzle game, and the graphics/audio really lean into that theme. I wasn’t expecting much when I checked out the demo during Steam Next Fest, but it really grabbed me with its level of polish. The puzzles are pretty light, but still satisfying, so I’m looking forward to playing more of it when it comes out in a little over a week on Oct 27.

Puzzmo, by Zach Gage and Orta Therox (Early access signups start today) Announced today, Puzzmo is a hub for small games that want to be part of your daily routine - think Wordle or the NYT crossword. During their prelaunch period they’re opening the doors to 500 new players every day, or if you can’t wait to get let in there’s some coverage on Digital Trends that has more info.

The Talos Principle 2, by Croteam and Devolver Digital (Demo available now) The first game is one of the best-selling puzzle games of all time, so there’s a high bar for the sequel. We’ll find out soon how it’s turned out - it’s releasing on Nov 2.

Sokobond Express, by José Hernández and Draknek and Friends (Demo available now) I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the next game I’m publishing. We’re putting the final touches on it now and will have more news to share soon - in the meanwhile, please add it to your wishlist on Steam!

[existentialmagazine]

Existential Magazine’s December Music Roundup

With the year coming to a close, we’re sharing just a handful of our favourite new releases we’ve discovered this December! Sit back, put on our New Music Friday playlist and spend a few minutes enjoying fresh new tunes hand-picked by us.

Guild Theory - Indignant Swines

British prog-rock band Guild Theory have been tearing up the music scene for just under two years now, debuting their first ever album earlier this year and garnering mass support across the globe. Now looking to extend their reach to those less familiar with alt/prog rock the group share new single ‘Indignant Swines’, a pop-rock tune that’s still lengthy and filled with distinct storytelling, but the perfect introduction to something less modern and more artful. Led in by an isolated echoey electric guitar riff, ‘Indignant Swines’ right away feels rather grand and mysterious, opening itself up to a sound of vastness and uncertainty. This layer of unknown is only further built upon as rising and falling guitar plucks set an uneasy tone, occasionally met with thudding beats and bass twangs. Their vocalist sulks through a lower-toned performance, almost lying in wait like a predator to its prey, hiding in the shadows and meeting you only in the most intense of moments. Growing into more consistent drums, layers of guitar and many backing vocals all entwining and chanting as one, everything about the performance of ‘Indignant Swines’ feels almost theatrical at heart. In many ways like Bohemian Rhapsody if it were more of a slow-burn, but still filled with rising power and gripping levels of storytelling.Fitting in with the overall concept of their next album surrounding a narrative of a fictional dictator's life, ‘Indignant Swines’ teases you into the story with such intrigue and depth that cannot be understated. From lines like ‘we love the people, with all our heart’ to ‘to keep you alive, ship you across the sea’, there’s a lot to unpack and begin to understand, but of course ‘Indignant Swines’ is just the start.

AP Cooper - Black Friday

Going into the Christmas season with a broken heart or a spout of blues? Look no further than AP Cooper’s uneasy feeling new tune ‘Black Friday’, an embodiment of the way the holiday season can often evoke anything but cheer, instead trapped within an isolating mix of clashing emotions. As his debut release, this psychfolk anti-xmas song is determined to stand out and be heard, taking you for a ride that’s memorable in more ways than one. The sound carries this feel of discontent, filled with harsh, almost jarring sounds that seem to work against one another. From scratchy, disjointed guitar to intermittent rusty feeling bass twangs and a more steady base of drums, ‘Black Friday’ doesn’t shy away from being anything other than imperfect, even so much as leading in with an eerie growl of sorts. This delivery continues into the opening verse, their vocalist singing with a warmth that’s conflicted by backing layers seemingly fighting for dominance, an unsettling edge to what otherwise would feel intimate. The chorus simmers down, a careful moment of soaring vocals and drums alone, soon crashing back into its staple, intentionally messy sound. Led in by one of the opening lines ‘the letters are red and the turkeys are still’, it’s immediately clear this festive tune is unafraid to strip back the romanticisation of a holiday that carries much more than dreams. A potentially political feeling focus also finds itself drawn into the chorus, singing ‘solemn night, holy holy holy night. the capital dreams, the capital rise’, a reminder of the capitalist and consumerism of Christmas that’s benefitting mostly those in power. At over four minutes in length, there’s a lot more to ‘Black Friday’ than meets the eye, and we urge you check it out for yourself to really understand the intricate layers its sound boasts below the surface.

Little Brain - Together We Rise

Unafraid to stand out, the genre-blenders Little Brain are ironically anything but small minded, bearing a sound so rich in sonic diversity, unparalleled ambition and bombastic attitude that’s vastly beyond initial comprehension. Falling somewhere inside of synth indie-rock, Little Brain’s newest single ‘Together We Rise’ is an anthem of self-expression and societal impact, determined to be heard. Led in by a faded in introduction of thunderous drums and aggressive guitar, Little Brain carry an initial angst to their sound that almost leaves you anticipating a heavy climax. Keeping you hanging on their every evolution, things instead shift into a muddled blend of electronics and rock, channeling fuzzy electronic pulsations, clashing drums and weaving a light floaty vocalist and a more angsty vocalist harmonising with one another. Things only continue to get more dominant as a short electronic breakdown changes the tone for the pre-chorus, delving into a darker sound with more synthetic feeling drums and a soft dousing of vocal effects, journeying you through synthwave like you’ve never heard done before. The choruses burst of sound doesn’t disappoint either, hitting you right with a segment of purer indie-rock through intense drums, guitar twangs and raspier, natural vocals. From a processed sound to more stripped back metallic tones, ‘Together We Rise’ is multi-layered in everything it has to say from its lyrics to its development of style throughout. As an act with their own sound entirely, it’s hard to compare Little Brain to anyone else out there, but without hesitation we’d say they’re up there with the greats like Bring Me The Horizon who seek to challenge the expectations of genre and instead push a message and a movement in their art.

NXCK - Without Me

As a young artist finding his feet, the upcomer NXCK has been displaying a mass of potential since his debut ‘Like It’s My Last’ released a year ago, now sparking the attention of punk rockers across the country with his newest and third single ‘Without Me.’ Channeling gritty instruments and a DIY-sounding production, ‘Without Me’ though led in with Blink-182 reminiscent piano keys soon shifts towards a harsh commotion of noise that’s hard to get enough of. From shredding electric guitar to thunderous drums, ‘Without Me’ storms through an introduction seething with unfiltered energy and spirits, clashing around like the growling performance of a garage band’s relentless ferocity. Slightly simmering for the opening verse, NXCK gears towards less fluctuating guitar strums and steady drums, placing his hoarse spoken-sung vocals laced with a pop-punk raspiness. The chorus leaps back into action, collapsing back into intense drums and aggressive guitar, all the while NXCK pushes his vocals to the max leaving his scratchy vocals lingering with strained emotion. Though filled with anthemic power in sound, ‘Without Me’ delivers a much more pained narrative in its lyrical trajectory, singing of an ex that NXCK is clearly still held up on despite them moving on. Asking ‘do you think of me when you look into his eyes?’, it’s clear he hasn’t gotten closure on what they once had, still somewhat obsessed with checking up on the person he no longer gets to call his own. Continuing ‘how can you go on without me?’ , NXCK feels almost betrayed, as though he thought they shared something much more special and yet he’s the only one sinking below watching them thrive. With plentiful passion and unfiltered words, NXCK has truly penned something sure to resonate in ‘Without Me.’

Edho - Waves

With an indie-pop sound heavily influenced by synths and 2000s indie rock, the up-comer Edho merges stylings that are both nostalgic and modern all at once, something like Arctic Monkeys turned towards a bit of Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Finlay, Zola Blood and The Arcs. His newest single ‘Waves’ dances through a soundscape of pure ambience, dreamily gliding through deep bass twangs, steady beats and fizzling pops of synth twinkles, a sound that’s transcendent in the way it pulsates and weaves around your eager ears. Assisted by producer Marco Faglia, in particular recording the track’s alluring bass and guitars, Edho is not just a talent in himself but aided by those who perfectly understand his vision. Edho’s vocals are equally as mysterious and mesmerising, sinking into low-toned spoken-sung lines that linger on his tongue as much as they do in your mind. The chorus soon collapses into quickly scattered drums as every bass pluck rings out with a darkness beneath, all the while Edho soars into a higher range, entangled with haunting echoes of backing vocal layers. As things push forward, ‘Waves’ only continues to evolve, channeling the narrative’s own fluctuations with passing time. Saying farewell to London after ten years, ‘Waves’ flows out with lines of acceptance and grief entwined, in many ways processing a breakup from a city he spent a decade calling home. Multifaceted lines like ‘memories of you start to fade away’ display this best, at first seemingly dedicated to a lover, and yet in reality a loss of a connection to where he had lived for so long. Further lines like ‘hungry streets’ almost seem to portray a sense of disdain, feeling like part of him was taken through his time here as part of a city that’s relentless. From the streets he found his way through, to the person he was and grew to become, along with the subsequent loneliness that large cities can strike, ‘Waves’ encompasses everything that’s bittersweet about letting go - even if it’s for the best.

Jazzygold - Day Off

Faroese singer jazzygold has just dropped her newest and fourth-ever single ‘day off’, following a handful of other releases since her debut in only February. Turning heads and captivating audiences across the globe, it’s already a certainty that ‘day off’ will be just as adored as everything before it, sure to be a big hit for jazzy’s performances spread far and wide across Europe. Flowing through her alternative pop and R&B ladened sound, ‘day off’ glides through easy-going beats, steady drums and drawn-out guitar strums, together building an auditory journey that’s warm and blissful in every way possible. Jazzy’s soulful vocals soar through this bright soundscape, cascading through an impressive range and pushing her potential everywhere possible. Moments of backing vocal layers and harmonies add even further depth to her serenading performance, flowing through multitudes of moving parts and a haunting essence to her lingering narrative in the air. Lyrically detailing her own life in her twenties, ‘day off’ captures the yearning for slumber and time to recharge in a world that places capitalism’s constant work-ethic and non-stop drive before your health, keeping the younger generation trapped in unfair expectations. Penned at a day in the studio she struggled to attend, Jazzygold found herself reflecting on the importance of taking a much-needed moment to breathe, knowing ultimately she’ll do her best work when fully at capacity for it: ‘a day off is all that I want.’ Though ‘day off’ is a song filled with nothing but positivity and becoming a temporary respite from the world in itself, the message it provides is one rich with meaning and importance through its front of ease, placing this integral take-away to put yourself and your mental health first in an ambient and digestible approach.

Salads - Bonnie and Clyde

The upcoming artist Salads has been slowly but surely building a presence for himself both through bombastic live performances and a real, authentic digital presence where he’s unafraid to speak on issues others tuck away, carrying through these themes into his powerful music that ranges between a multitude of genres. With an acoustic-rock and light pop-punk turned emo sound, his newest single ‘Bonnie and Clyde’ merges everything of 2000s alternative and wraps it into a 2023 anthem that’s unforgettable. An opening of a finger-picked acoustic guitar riff sets the more intimate tones, complemented by a secondary slower riff behind. The opening verse shifts into quickly strummed chords and an initially aching vocal performance from Salads that finds itself in a rare moment that’s not seeped in his staple vocal effects. It’s not long before the sound picks up into the chorus though, tumbling into a newfound riff, light bass twangs and soft electronic vocal effects, merging both genuine emotion and catchy attitude. The bridge is consumed with backing vocals and harmonies, as well as lyrics that self-reflect, feeling almost surrounded by an array of conflicting voices and thoughts mirrored in the sound. Telling a similar tale to the famous outlaw couple Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow, Salads looks to take inspiration from their acts of rebellion inside an extended metaphor of teenage love, capturing the intensity, the abandonment of the ‘rules’ and living in the moment for something that feels all-consuming. Lines like ‘leave me tattoos and a kiss before you leave me in a ditch’ bring out more themes of this tumultuous love, showcasing the toxicity buried beneath the passion. There’s still a romanticisation of the spontaneity of love and the youthful approach of falling all in though, in many ways sharing that despite the chance of ultimate heartbreak it’s always worth giving it your all. At just over two minutes in length, this short but sweet tune is one that you won’t be able to get enough of.

Swiims - Fade Days

Influenced by everything from 80’s New Wave, to 90’s Indie Rock, Brit-Pop, Shoegaze and Dream Pop, the new single ‘Fade Days’ from Canadian upcomers Swiims tells the story of love and loss as well as the intersections between. Just like its title suggests, ‘Fade Days’ is seeped in warmth and nostalgia, cascading through your eardrums with an auditory palette reminiscent of your childhood nooks and crannies, forgotten friends and a life of carefree vibrance. From the dreamy notes of a looping electric guitar riff left to echo outwards into the sound in a multitude of entwining layers, ‘Fade Days’ opens with a blissful ease and lingering ambience, capturing a sense of something forgotten in time and drawing you back in. Picked up by soft thudding drums and distant bass twangs, the soundscape pushes forwards with momentum but continued intricacy and glowing haze around every note, carrying you like the familiar embrace of a friend. Soft vocals float through this dazed sound, harmonising together and soaked in reverb for an utterly mesmerising performance. The pre-chorus simmers into just intermittent electric guitar twangs and careful beats while the vocals ring out with a profound desire to be heard, a personal and stripped-back moment and yet not for a second melancholic, instead feeling more like the quietness of a late night beside a loved one that cherishes a bond so near and dear. Driving back into an emphatic guitar riff and gorgeous layers of vocals, the chorus only further builds upon the foundations of ‘Fade Days’ staple dreamscape of a sound, lulling you in and providing a blanket of sound that’s safe to call a respite when you need it most. A sense of yearning as well as an aching heart are there to carry emotion through, but if anything the beauty of ‘Fade Days’ is how it paints even the thought of a painful departure to be something to appreciate, bottling up those once-strong feelings into a three minute package that’ll take you back to the better days.

Like Foxes In Bloom - Wavesick

Hailing from Berlin, Germany, the solo-project known as Like Foxes in Bloom has been gracing listeners with music ever-uplifting since his 2020 beginnings, dancing through a sound encompassing everything from indie-rock to surf and alternative. His newest single ‘Wavesick’ continues all that and more, building upon his slowly growing discography with this first and last single of 2023. From the second you press play on ‘Wavesick’ it’s almost hard not to feel like everything is okay, carrying through its effervescent energy an essence that infects you with its joy and leaves the world feeling brighter even in the dark. Wrapped in the most vibrant electric guitar riff, tumbling drum beats and clashes and groovy bass twangs, ‘Wavesick’ thrives right from its beginnings as it places this rush of euphoria into your hands, filling you with a breath of fresh air and an explosion of instrumental colour. This gorgeously feel-good palette of sound only continues into the first verse, simmering down from the plethora of riffs but still vivacious in the steady drums, pounding bass and intermittent electric guitar, all the while the vocals airily glide through smoothly delivered lines. As things continue, the layered guitar riffs make a return, building back into the sound slowly but surely in a way that’s intricate and engaging but not overwhelming. The chorus plows through more scattered beats, guitar twangs and a continued core bassline, all the while backing vocals add an anthemic chant-along spirit that can’t help but pull you in even deeper to the experience at hand. It’s hard to explain a sound like ‘Wavesick’ , truly better connoted to that of summer’s pink-tinted sunsets, youthful carefree attitudes and stumbling blindly through whatever road things take you, finding peace and even pleasure in the chaos of the everyday.

Dirty Power - Said And Done

The international rock-trio Dirty Power have been taking over the music scene since their 2018 beginnings, championing a sound that’s always evolving, unafraid to tackle sound in a way that’s never been done before. Their newest offering ‘Said And Done’ does just that too, akin to Nirvana’s ‘Unplugged In New York’ and Metallica’s ’S&M’ yet bearing a sound that’s wholeheartedly defining of Dirty Power alone. As tension-building cymbal taps lead into ‘Said And Done’ it’s hard to not instantly feel this pull of anticipation, swiftly accompanied by quickly-strummed acoustic guitar and a palm-muted riff, all the while the drums begin thudding beats and infectious clashes. The opening verse continues this hushed but tensely pushing sound, all the while their vocalist softly sings in lines that almost feel whispered, merging a gap between ferocious rock and calming acoustics for something slotting perfectly in-between. Bass twangs also add an air of depth and moodiness to the sound, capturing with their distant but booming strings an undertone of angst and melancholia. The chorus further builds into this warm but dominant sound, cascading through a moment that’s more vast and anthemic, like Dirty Power were serenading the open-air. Their vocalist’s words moulded perfectly though, carrying a smooth yet rock-y Dave Ghrohl-esque tone that’s mesmerisingly sincere and powerful all the same, climbing into higher notes that urge you to sing along too. Though poignant in sound, ‘Said And Done’ holds just as much meaning lyrically, inspired by rebels and resistance movements throughout history. Singing all about friends coming to each other’s rescue, the track preaches true selflessness, knowing ‘when all is said and done’ it’ll be how they all came to each other’s aid that matters most. Redefining rock in a way that’s refreshing, ‘Said And Done’ will leave you wondering why every artist out there hasn’t turned their bounding energy into something that shifts your expectations of anything acoustic.

Give a listen to these songs and more in our New Music Friday playlist this week, or see our Roundup Recap playlist for every song previously featured in one of our monthly roundups that you might have missed!

Written by: Tatiana Whybrow

// This coverage was supported and created via Musosoup, #SustainableCurator.

[brookston]

Holidays 7.9

Holidays

Arbor Day (Cambodia)

ASB Community Action Day

Call of the Horizon Day

Chicken Days begin (Nebraska)

Constitution Day (Australia, Palau)

Constitutionalist Revolution Day (São Paulo, Brazil)

Day of the Employees of the Diplomatic Service (Azerbaijan)

Dinosaur Roundup Rodeo (Utah)

Donkey Kong Day

Family Day (Ukraine)

Fashion Day

Festival of Grand Unified Theories

Flag Day (Chile)

Goat Mother’s Day

Intern Appreciation Day

International Small Arms Destruction Day

Kirkpinar Oil Wrestling Festival begins (Turkey)

Mars

Mint Day (French Republic)

Muffler Appreciation Day

National Camel Toad Hunting Day (Secular Church of the SubGenius)

National Culture Day (Kiribati)

National Dimples Day

National Lavender Day

National No Bra Day

National Student’s Day (India)

Nunavut Day (Canada)

Paper Napkin Day

Rock Around the Clock Day

Shiman Rokusen-nichi (Day of 46,000; Tokyo, Japan)

Special Recreation Day

State Rebellion Day (São Paulo, Brazil)

Traumatic Brain Injury Awareness Day (Ohio)

White Ensign Anniversary Day (UK)

Wimbledon Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

Don’t Put All Your Eggs in One Omelette Day

National Chicken Day

National Sugar Cookie Day

World Pakora Day

2nd Sunday in July

Barn Day [2nd Sunday]

Disability Awareness Day (UK) [2nd Sunday]

Father’s Day (Uruguay) [2nd Sunday]

Festival of the Giants begins (Fête des Géants; France) [Sunday after 7.5]

Lá Cuimhneacháin Náisiúnta (National Day of Commemoration; Ireland) [Sunday closet to 7.11]

Independence Days

Argentina (from Spain, 1816)

Kebec (f.k.a. Alaurentia; Declared; 2017) [unrecognized]

Luxe (Declared; 2009) [unrecognized]

South Sudan (from Sudan, 2011)

Feast Days

Agilulfus of Cologne (Christian; Saint)

Amandina of Schakkebroek (Christian; A Martyr of Southern Hunan)

Caprotinia (Old Roman Female Slave Festival)

Charlotte the Penguin (Muppetism)

St. Clotilde (Positivist; Saint)

Cyril and Companions (Christian; Martyrs)

David Hockney (Artology)

Day of Unn the Wise Person (a.k.a. Day of Remembrance for Ann the Deep Minded; Pagan)

Dharma Day (Buddhist) [Full Moon, 8th Lunar Month]

Ekādaśī Tithi (Self-Purification Festival; Hindism, Vaishnavism) [11th Lunar Day]

Ephrem of Edessa (Christian; Saint)

Everilda (Christian; Saint)

Feast of the Chinese Martyrs (Christian; Martyrs)

Feast of the Martyrs of Gorkum (Christian; Martyrs)

Feast of Our Lady of Peace (Christian)

Feast of Translation of Nicolas (Christian; Confessor)

Gregorio Grassi (Christian; A Martyr of Shanxi)

Invent a Word Day (Pastafarian)

Marija Petković (Christian; Blessed)

Martyrdom of the Báb (Bahá'í)

Martyrs of Gorkum (Christian; Martyrs)

Mary Hermina Grivot (Christian; Saint)

Mojo Nixon Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Our Lady of Itatí (Christian)

Our Lady of Peace, Octave of the Visitation (Christian)

Our Lady of the Rosary of Chiquinquirá (Christian; Saint)

Pauline of the Agonizing Heart of Jesus (Christian; Saint)

Rusty (Muppetism)

Sabinus (Christian; Martyr)

Solstitium VI (Pagan)

Stephen Langton, Archbishop of Canterbury (Anglican commemoration)

Veronica Giuliani (Christian; Saint)

Zeno (Christian; Martyr)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Fortunate Day (Pagan) [26 of 53]

Tomobiki (友引 Japan) [Good luck all day, except at noon.]

Premieres

American Pie (Film; 1999)

Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (Film; 2004)

The Bears and Bees (Disney Cartoon; 1932)

Black Widow (Film: 2021)

Blowin’ in the Wind, recorded by Bob Dylan (Song; 1962)

Blue, by LeAnn Rimes (Album; 1996)

Despicable Me (Animated Film; 2010)

The Girl Who Played with Fire (Film; 2010)

The Golden Compass (a.k.a. Northern Lights), by Philip Pullman (Nove; 1995) [His Dark Materials #1]

Love and Curses (WB MM Cartoon; 1938)

Loving You (Elvis Presley Film; 1957)

The Office (UK TV Series; 2001)

One of Our Dinosaurs is Missing (Film; 1975)

Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl (Film; 2003)

Pluto’s Purchase (Disney Cartoon; 1948)

Predators (Film; 2010)

The Queen Was in the Parlor (WB MM Cartoon; 1932)

Riding Giants (Documentary Film; 2004)

Rookie of the Year (Film; 1993)

Tall Timber (Disney Cartoon; 1928)

This Is a Life? (WB MM Cartoon; 1955)

Tron (Film; 1982)

Winnebago Man (Documentary Film; 2010)

Today’s Name Days

Augustin, Gottfried, Veronika (Austria)

Leticija, Marija, Veronika (Croatia)

Drahoslava (Czech Republic)

Sostrata (Denmark)

Aive, Aivi (Estonia)

Ilta, Jade, Jasmiina, Jasmin, Nanna (Finland)

Amandine, Hermine, Iphigénie, Marianne (France)

Hannes, Hermine, Veronika (Germany)

Pagratios (Greece)

Lukrécia (Hungary)

Letizia (Italy)

Asne, Tusnelda, Zaiga (Latvia)

Algirdas, Algirdė, Leonardas, Veronika (Lithuania)

Gøran, Jøran, Ørjan (Norway)

Anatolia, Heloiza, Hieronim, Lucja, Łucja, Ludwika, Lukrecja, Mikołaj, Patrycjusz, Weronika, Wszebąd, Zenon, Zenona (Poland)

Lujza (Slovakia)

Verónica (Spain)

Götilda , Jörgen, Örjan (Sweden)

Averil, Avery, Junior, Misty (USA)

Amandine (Universal)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 190 of 2024; 175 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 7 of week 27 of 2023

Celtic Tree Calendar: Duir (Oak) [Day 28 of 28]

Chinese: Month 5 (Wu-Wu), Day 22 (Wu-Chen)

Chinese Year of the: Rabbit 4721 (until February 10, 2024)

Hebrew: 20 Tammuz 5783

Islamic: 20 Dhu al-Hijjah 1444

J Cal: 10 Lux; Threesday [10 of 30]

Julian: 26 June 2023

Moon: 55%: Waning Gibbous

Positivist: 22 Charlemagne (7th Month) [St. Clotilde]

Runic Half Month: Feoh (Wealth) [Day 11 of 15]

Season: Summer (Day 19 of 94)

Zodiac: Cancer (Day 19 of 31)

[op3ra]

okay, in the style of my rusty roundup, I tentatively want to do a pearl lineup -- pls like this post if you have your own pearl design ref posted somewhere on your page (or reply with one!) and I'll try to get around to a full pearl lineup next month <3

[semisolidmind]

Would it be alright if I wrote some fiction for some of your monster and human pairings? Maybe something for that wolfman and baker from a while back but I was also thinking abt Rusty's Roundup.

sure. as long as you send it to me once you're done, cause i love the stories yall come up with

[waterfiltergurus]

7 Effective Ways to Get Rid of Rust in Well Water

Rusty well water doesn't just look and taste bad - it might also be a sign that you have a problem in your water that needs addressing. In this guide, we've shared the 7 best methods to get rid of rust in a well water supply. We've also shared the possible causes and effects of rusty well water. 📌 Key Takeaways: - Rust gives water an unpleasant taste and leaves orange stains in your pipes and appliances. - The best ways to get rid of rust in well water are oxidation & filtration, water softeners, rust removal products, and sediment filters. - If your rusty water is caused by corroding pipes and plumbing fixtures, you might need to replace part of your well water plumbing system. 📖 How to Remove Rust from Well Water: 7 Methods Below, we've shared the 7 best methods to get rid of rust in your drinking water well supply. 1) Chemical Injection Systems A chemical injection system that uses hydrogen peroxide is an effective, but expensive, whole home water treatment system for removing iron and rust. Chemical injection systems inject hydrogen peroxide into water as it flows through the tank, which oxidizes iron and iron bacteria, eliminating the cause of rusty water. A good hydrogen peroxide system can eliminate up to 20 PPM of ferrous and ferric iron - more than you'll have in your water supply - and can also greatly reduce hydrogen sulfide gas and manganese, two well water contaminants that are often found alongside iron. Check out the best chemical injection pumps for well water in to learn more. 2) Air Injection Systems Air injection systems are a chemical-free alternative to chemical injection systems that work in essentially the same way: by oxidizing dissolved ferrous iron particles and pulling them out of water with a media bed (usually birm or manganese greensand). The media needs to be periodically backwashed with potassium permanganate to flush away the accumulated rust. An air injection oxidizing filter system can remove iron and iron residue, as well as manganese and sulfur (which gives water a distinct rotten eggs smell). Air injection oxidizing filters are expensive, but they're our personal favorite choice for dealing with high iron and rust because they're so effective and don't add chemicals to your drinking water. Read reviews of our favorite air injection (AIO) systems. 3) Sediment Filters Another way to remove rust from well water is with a sediment filter. Sediment filters remove large particles of sand, silt, dirt, debris, dust, and rust. You can find sediment filters in a range of micron sizes, from 5 to 100 microns - and sometimes even higher. If you have flakes of rust in your water, a sediment filter will remove them effectively. But sediment filters won't make a difference to your water quality if dissolved ferrous iron is your main issue. Check out our roundup of the best sediment filters which includes a range of micron sizes. 4) Iron & Rust Filters A whole home well water filtration system usually has a dedicated iron/rust filter that's designed to reduce iron in the water. Iron filters are cartridge filters that trap iron and rust. Often, these filters use a KDF media that uses redox (oxidation-reduction) to pull iron out of water, or ion exchange resin that swaps iron particles with harmless ions that won't affect water quality. Iron and rust filter cartridges are cheaper than air and chemical injection systems, but they're only suitable for moderate iron problems, and they have a limited filter lifespan of 3-6 months. You'll need to replace the filter frequently to keep your water rust-free. 5) Water Softeners If you only have low-to-moderate amounts of iron and rust in your water, a water softener might be a suitable anti-rust solution. The main job of a water softener is to remove hard minerals (calcium and magnesium) by swapping them with sodium ions on a charged resin bed. Most water softeners can also reduce a little iron (up to 1-2 PPM), and there are a few dedicated well water softener systems that remove more than this (up to 4-8 PPM). 📌 Water softener systems are the best choice for well water supplies that have hard minerals and iron, but they're not suitable for high-to-extremely high levels of iron. See our most recommended water well softener systems. 6) Rust Remover Products Another way to prevent rust build-up in your water supply is to use a rust remover enhancement product, such as Rust Out (common for use in water softeners). You can use a rust remover product to flush rust out of your plumbing supply and existing water treatment systems. However, this doesn't target the cause of the rust, so you might have to use the product several times a year to keep the rust at bay. Make sure to read the manufacturer's instructions carefully to properly remove rust with this method. 7) Replacing Rusty Pipes & Hot Water Heaters A water filter or rust remover enhancement product might remove rust from your water, but it won't eliminate the source of the problem. If you have old iron pipes in your plumbing system, they may be the cause of the rust in your water supply. Replacing your rusty pipes and hot water heaters is expensive, but it might solve your rust issues without the need for installing an iron removal water filter, saving you money in the long run. 🔎 What Causes Rusty Well Water? Rust occurs when iron and other metals break down through oxidation. Common signs of rust in your water are floating flecks of orange-brown, brown- or orange-tinged water, and brownish and reddish rings in your toilet bowls and sinks. Rusty water has several causes: - Dissolved iron in rocks and soils leaching into your groundwater supply - Surface water coming into contact with metal surfaces - Corrosion from steel or iron well components and pipes (the lower water's pH, the higher the likelihood of corrosion). 🤔 What's Wrong With Rust In Well Water? Rust in your well water is unlikely to make you sick. Iron minerals are essential to human health - but they have damaging effects around the home. If your well water contains rust, it may taste unpleasant, leave orange or red stains on your surfaces, and clog up pipes and appliances, reducing water pressure and leading to costly repairs and replacements. 📝 Final Thoughts Rusty well water looks and tastes unpleasant, and may cause expensive damage to your plumbing system. Luckily, it's easy to remove rust from your water supply with a dedicated water treatment method. 📌 One final note: test your water pH if you suspect it may be playing a role in your rust problems. Water with a low pH is corrosive and speeds up the rusting process. You may need to address this issue by installing a water treatment system to manage your water's pH, such as a soda ash/sodium hydroxide injection system. Read the full article